The basis for all law

A constitution forms the basis for all law within a country and defines the principles on which the government, including the justice system, must operate. It sets up the most important institutions of government, states their principal powers and makes broad rules about how these powers can be used.

New Zealand’s constitution

In some countries the constitution is written down in one place; in New Zealand, it’s not. New Zealand's constitution is drawn from a number of important statutes (laws), judicial decisions, and customary rules (constitutional conventions).

Key parts of New Zealand’s constitution

Key parts of New Zealand's constitution can be found in a number of documents. Together with New Zealand's constitutional conventions (generally legally accepted ways of doing things), the following documents form our constitution: